This invention pertains to data processing systems and, more particularly, to a portable personal computer system having a printer incorporated into the main body of the computer.
A data processing system having a printer is already known. For example, JA PUUMA 60-647 discloses a computer having a printer, wherein a paper stocker is disposed under a system body of the computer and the printing paper within said stocker is to be fed to an internal printer which is disposed in the rear portion of the system body. Since the system body may include a system board on which main circuits are mounted, a keyboard, a floppy disk unit, a hard disk drive, and a battery, the system body is usually heavy. On the other hand, in a computer disclosed in JA PUUMA 60-647, since said stocker is disposed under the system body, the heavy system body must be lifted to handle the printing paper within the stocker, and therefore it is not easy to handle the printing paper. Besides, in such a computer, if an insertion slot for the printing paper is formed in said stocker, such an insertion slot will be disposed in a lower position than the system body. Therefore, if it is assumed that the computer is placed on a desk, it is not easy to insert the printing paper into said insertion slot since said insertion slot is too near to the desk. In this respect, it is difficult to handle the printing paper. Further, if it is assumed that the computer is used with the rear portion of the system body lifted compared with the front portion by providing legs to the system body so as to give a proper inclination to a keyboard, said insertion slot gets still nearer the desk, it becomes still more difficult to insert the printing paper into said insertion slot, and the long printing paper which is exposed from said insertion slot is pressed upon the desk and will be bent down.
Further, JA PUPA2-175271 discloses an image formation apparatus, wherein recording means (printer) and display means (display unit) are disposed in the rear of input means (keyboard), and a recording sheet (paper) moves over the input means from the front to the rear of the input means and is to be fed to said recording means. In such an apparatus, since the recording sheet overspreads the input means, a defect that an input operation becomes difficult is pointed out, whether printing is being performed or not, when the recording sheet is set to said apparatus. Moreover, various indicators and control buttons which may be disposed adjacently to the input means in the rear of the input means, are also overspread by the recording sheet, and therefore it may become impossible for an operator to recognize information the indicators notify and to operate the buttons.
Still further, JA PUPA 3-71222 discloses a personal computer, wherein an internal printer is disposed in the rear of a liquid crystal display panel and a paper entrance to the internal printer is disposed behind the liquid crystal display panel. In such a personal computer, since the paper entrance is disposed behind the liquid crystal display panel, it is difficult to set a paper to the internal printer. Moreover, in such a personal computer, since the paper entrance and a paper exit are adjacently disposed and the direction of a paper feed is roughly opposite to that of paper ejection, the paper will be printed on the internal printer in a state that it draws a relatively small arc and is bent down. Therefore, in such a personal computer, a defect that a bend of the paper may be caused after printing is pointed out. Moreover, printing is very difficult if the paper is too hard to draw an arc.
Further, JA PUPA 3-132814 discloses an image formation apparatus, wherein a printer is disposed in the rear of a keyboard, and a liquid crystal display covers the keyboard in a state that the liquid crystal display is placed face down and the liquid crystal display moves to the rear of the printer in a state that it is being used. In such an apparatus, a defect that the liquid crystal display is covered with a recording sheet is pointed out, whether printing is being performed or not, when the recording sheet is set to the printer. Since in also such an apparatus, the recording sheet is printed in a state that it draws an arc in the printer, a defect that a bend of the paper may be caused after printing or hard recording sheet cannot be printed, is pointed out.